Controlling device



F. E. MAIN.

CONTROLLING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED luuEzs. 1914.

1 342 338, Patented June 1,' 1920.

FRED F. MAIN, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNDB, BY MESNE assldivivinn'rs, TOjNEW NEW JERSEY,

neaase'e.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED F. MAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at 6133 Drexel avenue, in the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Controlling Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the means for controlling the action of the recording cylinder of a phonograph or talking machine to cause it to start or to stop at will by pneumatic means provided with a controlling lock and release key or member. 7 I do not claim as new the broad invention of pneumatic controlling means but my invention is an improvement in that controlling means as now used consists of an air cylinder attached as a handle to the speaking tube of the phonograph or talking machine, withinthis tube being a spring raised piston having a key or member for the thumb on its upper end, anda spring pressed locking and releasing key or member adapted to lock such piston in its depressed position, automatically, and to release said piston by pressure upon said releasing key or member to thereby allow said piston to be raised by its I spring.

Various devices have been used for this purpose, especially a spring raised piston adapted to be depressed by the foot and to be held depressed while the cylinder for supporting the record is in motion andto. be released when it is desired to stop the rotation of the record cylinder. Such devices may be used by thehand, in'w-hich case the piston is depressed and held down against the action of its lifting spring until stoppage of the record cylinder is desired, when it is;

allowed to rise and effect the disconnection of the clutch of the shaft carrying the record cylinder to stop the rotation of the latter. The defects in this mechanism as now used are that the spring pressure against the depressed piston must be constantly borne while the record cylinder is rotating and that slowly releasing said piston will not always effect the stopping of the record cylinder. Moreover, an inadvertent or partial release of the piston would be apt to effect the stopping of the record cylinder without the knowledgeof the dictator, and accordingly the dictator might continue to JERSEY PATENT COMPANY, or WEs'T citation, NEW annsnr, A CORPORATION orv CONTROLLING; DEVICE.

. Specificationof Letters Patent. P tented Junev 1 1920.

Application filed .Tune 26, 1914. Serial No. 847,386.

dictate with the record at rest which, obviously, would be objectionable.

The rapidly increasing use of the phonograph or talking machine for the purposes of dictation and transcription is bringing much study to the minor details of its construction and operation. The machines now on the market are quite generally equipped with air controlled clutches, whereby the gentle pressure of'the air, due to movement of the hand or foot control in one direction acting upon the piston connected to the clutch causes it to engage its mate and thus to start the rotation of the record cylinder,

while the reverse movement of the hand or.

foot control creates a partial vacuum in the clutch controlling cylinder of the machine and this causes a reversal of the action of the clutch and thus disengages it to stop the record cylinder.

The object'of my invention is to provide controlling means of the-character above described with an improved locking and releasing device for the piston thereof so that such piston will be automatically locked against movement when depressed and may be released in such a manner as to permit and obtain a full quick stroke thereof so as to in sure the prompt stoppage of the record cyla inder whereby, due to the positive action of the device, the muscles of the operator will be relieved from protracted strain, and

whereby the stopping of the record cylinderwhen it is supposed to be in motion by'the in voluntary release of the piston, as well as the full release of the piston without effecting the stopping of the record cylinder by the gradual relaxing of the muscles ofthe operator, both of which conditions cause serious annoyance in devices of this'character now in use, will-be prevented.

lVhile I show my improved locking and releasing device applied to controlling means adapted for hand use, I wish it distinctly understood that I may apply such a device 1 100 to controlling means adapted to be actuated by the foot, it being immaterial whether the piston of the controlling means is adapted to be operated by the hand or by the foot.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, in which the same reference letters refer to like parts in the various views, the application of my invention will be clearly understood. I have not attempted to show the pneumatic mechanism within the mach ne as the same is well known to all familiar with the art and consists merely of a clutch with pneumatic'operating means, for engaging and disengaging the shaft carrying the record cylinder, to operatively connect the latter with and disconnect the same from the motor used to drive the machine, and

thus to start the rotation ofv the record at will and to stop it when required. My invention relates to the power device from ing from the power cylinder to the pneumatic mechanism of the machine, E the speaking tube of the phonograph or talking machine, F the power cylinder, G the double acting piston of cylinder F, H the operating key or member of piston G, h the.

locking shoulder of key or member H, h the piston rod, I the piston lifting spring, and J the connecting link between cylinder F and a removable speaking tube sleeve K. L is a locking and releasing spring key or member having a shoulder Z adapted to directlyengage the shoulder h of the key or member H when the latter is depressed'to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2;

and Z is the screw for fastening the locking spring L to the inside of the cylinder I*.

In operation the motor of the machine is started which causes one member of the clutch to rotate, the other clutch member be-v ing connected to the shaft carrying the record cylinder B.

When the operator is ready to dictate he I grasps the power cylinder F in the left hand with the thumb positioned over the key or member H of piston rod h and depresses the latter until it reaches the limit of its travel when the'shoulder Z of the locking spring L engages the shoulder it 011 key or member H and locks the piston G down.

The downward travel of the piston G forces air through tube D to the pneumatic cylinder in the machine whose piston is connected with the operating lever of the clutch and by whose action the clutch is engaged to start the record cylinder in'the usual manner. hen it is desired to stop the record cylinder, the thumb is moved to the bent or laterally extending portion of the spring L which forms the releasing key or member. Pressure on this laterally extending portion causes the release of the key or member H and permits spring I to lift or raise the piston Gr and thus to create a partial vacuum in tube D and the clutch cylinder of the machine, thereby effecting the movement of the clutch lever to release the clutch in the usual manner.

The position of the locking and releasing key or member L is important as it is necessary in orderto actuate the same to remove the thumb wholly from the path of the key or member H so that the latter may rise quickly and thereby create a sufiicient vacuum to effect the operation of the clutch.

IVith this device it is apparent that a full stroke of the piston and consequently maxi mum service is obtained at each action, which insures prompt starting and stopping of the record cylinder with no possible chance of inadvertent stoppage thereof or failure to stop as is the case without the use of the locking and releasing device.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is; v v

A controlling device comprising a cylinder adapted to be grasped by the hand, a spring pressed. piston in said cylinder having a portion extending from the cylinder, a thumb operable shouldered actuating key or member on the outer end of said extending portion, and a resilient locking member secured to said cylinder andv having a portion adapted to automatically spring over the shoulder of the actuating key ormember when the latter is depressed against the action of the spring to thereby lock the piston in its depressed position, substantially as described.

FRED F. MAIN.

\Vitnesses A. M. MAIN, RUTH 0. MAIN. 

